First Event of the Year

The first event of 2010 was the CEME (which stands for "Canada, Europe, Middle East") Leadership Conference. We were scheduled for two days of meetings in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, followed by a short cruise to Key West and Nassau (Bahamas). We expected approximately 160 people from the various countries. However, thanks to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, we very nearly didn't even have an event! Flights all around Europe were disrupted, delayed and cancelled, and it didn't look good for the participants from the countries "across the pond." We thought we might just have the Canadians. But slowly, we started getting messages that flights were going ahead as scheduled, or that participants had found a different way to get there. When all was said and done, there were about 40 people - mostly from the Ukraine, but also Russia and the U.K. - who were not able to join us.

We stayed at the Hyatt Bonaventure in Weston, Florida - a very nice property overlooking a golf course. Here's some of the views, including a very interesting palm tree that I had never seen before (you may not be able to tell from this picture, but it's flat when viewed from the side).


The meetings went very well, in spite of having to move the agenda all around, to accommodate the speakers who either were late getting in, or didn't make it at all. The Savchenkos did an admirable pinch hit job, considering they had only a few hours notice.

These are some of my friends from our Russia/CIS (a term used to include the former Soviet republics, such as Ukraine, Belarus, etc.). We may not speak the same language, but we still find a way to communicate! I have to give a big shout out to my Utah colleague, Irina, who provided much needed translation and other help for these markets. What a lifesaver!

This lovely couple are the Yakolev's. I have known them for several years, and they are always so warm and friendly to me.

At breakfast one morning. The weather in Florida was delightful.

The hotel arranged for buses to take us to the pier to board our cruise on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, something went amiss in that plan, and the buses never showed. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but the hotel somehow managed to drum up a dozen shuttle vans, and we managed to get everyone - AND all their bags, thank goodness! - to the ship on time.

The next day we docked in Key West, which I had not been to before. Once we got the Russia group on to their various tours, Gayle and her sister Julie and I went in to "Old Town" in Key West. The town has a great personality - the kind of place you think you would be happy living in. We went for a delicious lunch in a seafood place on the water, did some shopping, took the "train" tour of the town, and visited Hemingway's house. Did you know he had a thing about cats? They still live there (well, I'm sure these are ancestors of his cats by now, but they still rule the roost. They even have their own cat condos.).

The following day was our day in Nassau. Unfortunately, it rained most of the day. As I had been there before, I just walked into the portside shopping area for a bit.

Monday night we had a short reception on the ship to bid adieu to our NSP friends, until we meet again next year in Barcelona!

Here's our two Jenn's ... Jennifer Cole (NSP Canada staff member and my partner in crime), and Jennifer Penner, an up-and-coming distributor in Canada, who was also one of our speakers. Thanks for letting me hang with you, guys!

A beautiful sunset at sea ...